Bittersweet Memories
by ShelbyBizarre
Summary: Every summer of your childhood was spent with your dear friend, Kuroh. Years later, you find yourself living alone in Shizume City, working at a local noodle shop. What happens when a familiar face from your past appears in the shop's doorway? Kuroh Yatogami x Reader (Rating may change as more chapters are added)
1. Chapter 1

At last, summer had made its long-awaited return. Being but a child, you found that this time of year was most suited to you and your playful demeanor. This was the time when you could take a break from your studies to stay with your grandmother in the country. Her traditional Japanese home was far from any signs of civilization, and had but a few neighbors. You loved the fresh air and the trilling of birds, but most of all, you loved getting to see your friend, Kuroh Yatogami.

Your heart fluttered with excitement as you followed the dirt path to your grandmother's home. You felt a smile creep upon your face as the front door slid open and a familiar face appeared.

"Obaa-san!" you called out, tossing your bag down and running up to throw your arms around her waist.

She held you close for a moment, then took a step back, motioning for you to enter the house.

"Do come in, dear. I've made lunch for us."

You happily obliged, making your way into the dining room. Plopping down onto a cushion, you clapped your hands together and exclaimed 'itadakimasu!' before helping yourself to the meal. Your grandmother joined you at the table, and the two of you discussed recent events in between mouthfuls of food.

Once you both had your fill, you helped your grandmother take the dishes into the kitchen. You offered to help her wash them, but she insisted that you go out to play. You thanked her before darting outside and up the hill toward your friend's home.

"Hello, _-chan!" Master Ichigen sat on his porch, a warm smile across his face. "Are you looking for Kuroh?"

"Mhm! Is he here?"

"No, but I believe he mentioned going to the falls."

You bowed and thanked him, then quickly turned on your heels and ran in said direction. The thought of seeing your beloved friend again sent the butterflies in your stomach aflutter. At the pace you ran, it didn't take very long to reach the spot. The water from up high glistened as it spilled down into the shallow pool below, the creek babbling as it flowed. You spotted Kuroh balanced atop a rock alongside the edge of the clear waters. His eyes were closed and his body relaxed, as if he were meditating. You took this opportunity to sneak up behind him.

"Kuroh-chaaan!"

Kuroh jerked as if a jolt had been sent throughout his body, causing him to tumble and slip into the water. He picked himself up and lifted his head, his pale eyes meeting with your own.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean-"

Your apology was cut short by a splash of water directly to your face. You saw Kuroh wearing a smug grin and splashed him back, triggering an instant water fight. The two of you were soaked to the bone by the time you decided to call it quits.

"Now look what you've done! I'm all wet!" You pouted.

"You started it," he chuckled.

"Turn around."

"What? Why?"

"We need to dry our clothes...but...I'm not letting you see me naked!"

"Tch, like I would want to."

He turned and faced the opposite direction, allowing both of you to undress. You sat atop a stone, your backs against one another, and your garments placed in the sun. The two of you took the opportunity to converse about events that had occured in each other's absense. Time passed quickly this way, and before long, you were able to re-dress.

"Now what?" You asked.

"We could catch cicadas."

"No way! Those are gross!"

Spotting one of said insects nearby, Kuroh was quick to pick it up and hold it close to you.

"Ew! Get that thing away from me!" You uneasily began backing away, Kuroh drawing ever closer. Your feet picked up pace, and you ran away back toward Master Ichigen's home. Kuroh, cicada in hand, was right at your heels.

"Kuroh!" Master Ichigen called from the porch, causing both of you to stop. "What are you doing to her?"

"It's a bug. _'s just being a baby."

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not, baka!"

"Now, now. Are you all right, _?"

You nodded and wiped away the tears that had started to well up in your eyes.

"Kuroh, I believe you owe _ an apology."

Kuroh mumbled something below his breath.

"What was that?"

"'I said I'm sorry."

"Good. Now then, you two go have fun."

You did as Master Ichigen said, taking off in another direction until you came upon a tree of considerable size. You both lay down beneath its shade, the plush grass a cushion as you gazed up at the clouds. Kuroh was first to break the silence.

"I- I really am sorry I chased you like that."

"It's okay." You smiled. "I forgive you...because I like you, Kuroh-chan."

"I like you too, _."

"Say, Kuro-chan. When we grow up, will you make me your wife?"

"Of course."

You quickly sat up and glared intently at him.

"You promise?"

He smiled a genuine smile at you before picking a flower from nearby and fashioning it into a ring, which he delicately slipped onto your finger.

"I promise. You'll be _ Yatogami one day."

The two of you giggled at the seriousness of the moment, and you fell back onto the cool ground. Your fingers intertwined, the two of you drifted off to sleep.

You and Kuroh spent every day of that summer with one another. You frolicked in the glow of the sun, playing pretend games in the day. At night you would sit together and watch the fireflies in their dance. When the skies darkened and rain fell, you would seek shelter indoors and play card games. Your time together was short, and eventually came to an end. You took the flower Kuroh had given you and pressed it into a book, so that it could be kept as a memory until the next summer came along. Little did you know, however, that that was the last summer you would spend with your dear friend.


	2. Chapter 2

Many years had passed since the last time you visited the countryside. Your father's career constantly kept your family moving, never staying in one place for too long. You eventually found yourself in Shizume City, where you attended Ashinaka High, and not long after graduating, you moved into an apartment of your own. Now without the support of your parents, you found that money was tight. Luckily, your uncle also made his home in Shizume, and offered you a job working at his noodle shop. You had never been very talented in the cooking area, so he put you in charge of the cleaning and dish washing.

A distinct scent gently swept past your nose as you stepped through the doorway of the shop, just as you had many a day before. You made your way into the back room, taking your apron down from a hook and slipping it on. You tugged the strings of the apron into a bow and went out into the front, where your uncle was cooking.

You busied yourself with your usual tasks, and the work day went by rather quickly. After you finished sweeping the floors, you grabbed a towel and started to wipe down the tables. The bells hung above the shop's entrance jingled, and you turned to get a glimpse of the new customer.

There you saw a tall, handsome young man entering. His obsidian hair was pulled back from the fair skin of his face, and his lustrous eyes glistened in the shop's lighting. Realization struck that you were staring, and you quickly averted your gaze in an attempt to be more discreet.

Cleaning a nearby table, you watched from the corner of your eye as he seated himself at the counter. You couldn't help being drawn to the boy. There was something about him that somehow seemed familiar to you. Your curiosity got the better of you, and you soon found yourself approaching him.

"E- Excuse me."

He turned to look at you.

"Do I know- Um, have we met before?"

He returned your inquiry with a rather blank stare, causing your cheeks to redden with embarrassment.

"I'm sorry! It was a stupid thing to ask!" You bowed and turned to walk away, but felt a hand wrap around your wrist.

"_," he said. "It's...you."

Your eyes widened at the mention of your name.

"I didn't mean to be rude." He loosened his grip. "It's just...It's hard to believe that it's really you."

In that moment, your brain made a connection, and the memories of your childhood began to flow into your mind until it was filled with the joys you had once experienced.

"Kuroh..?" On impulse, you wrapped your arms around him. "It's been so long!"

"Hey!" Your uncle called. "I'm not paying you to fondle my customers!"

"S- Sorry!" You took a step back. "I have to finish up here, but, um... Are you free later?" You nervously fidgeted with the hem of your apron.

"I am," Kuroh smiled. "We can catch up when your shift is over, if you'd like."

"I would like that a lot." You returned the smile. "Well then, if you'll excuse me." With that, you returned to washing off tables.

Before you knew it, the day had come to an end. You retired your apron, washed up a bit, and bid farewell to your uncle. Exiting the building, you saw Kuroh leaned against the wall, waiting for you. The two of you walked along the sidewalk, side by side. There was a moment of silence that seemed almost endless, as neither of you were sure how to start the conversation. You glanced down to his side, noticing for the first time that he carried items with him. On his side was a sword, in his hand, a briefcase.

"What's up with the stuff?" You pointed to his things.

"This holds my favorite cooking utensils." He lifted the briefcase slightly. "And this katana is important to me. I trained very hard in order to receive it."

"That's neat and all, but why do you have them with you? Why not leave them at home?"

There was another moment of silence. The expression he wore gave away the answer to your question.

"Don't tell me...you don't have a home?"

He shook his head. You reached out and took his hand into yours.

"Then you have to stay with me!"

"I can't do that."

"Why not?"

"It would be indecent for an unwed pair to be living together."

"It'll be fine! Come on, I'll take you there." You began to lead the way, your hand still clasped onto his. "I can't just leave you out on the streets."

The two of you eventually made it to your apartment. You unlocked the door and motioned for Kuroh to enter.

"It's not the best, but I do hope you'll stay." You closed the door behind you. "Please, make yourself at home."

You noticed that Kuroh seemed a bit uneasy. You couldn't quite tell if the messy apartment made him uncomfortable, or if he was nervous to be alone with a female. Looking down at your less-than-impressive body, you shrugged off the latter thought. Kuroh stood still, still holding tight to his briefcase.

"There's no need to be so tense." You made your way toward the bathroom. "Would you like for me to run you a bath?"

"I, um- Yes. Thank you."

You did just so, making sure the water was the perfect temperature. You then approached the closet, mumbling to yourself.

"Let's see... I think I have some of of Dad's old clothes in here somewhere...I was supposed to donate them, but I guess it's a good thing I forgot, huh?" You managed to find a tee-shirt and pajama bottoms and pulled them out, offering them to Kuroh. "Here. You can wear these."

He sat his briefcase on the floor beside him and took the clothing from you, looking down at the floor.

"I am truly grateful for the kindness you have shown me." He knelt down, as if to bow to you.

"No, no! Please! It's no trouble, really!" You waved your hands frantically in front of you.

Kuroh stood and went into the bathroom. You took the opportunity to change into some more comfortable shorts, then began to roll out your futon, which you then sat on. The small apartment was almost silent, save for the small splashing sounds that came from the bathroom. You began to blush at the thought of such a handsome man washing himself in your tub. You fumbled around for the television remote and turned it on, so that the noises coming from the next room were drowned out. Some sort of childish anime was on, and you found yourself watching it intently, simply to distract yourself from your own thoughts.

Kuroh eventually emerged from the bathroom, dressed in the saggy clothing that you had provided. They fit so loosely, in such a way as to make him look smaller. You could not help but to be reminded of how he used to look as a child. You turned off the television and smiled up at him.

"Are you tired? You probably haven't gotten a good night's rest in a while if you've been homeless." You patted the futon. "You can sleep here."

"And where will you sleep?"

"On the floor. I have some extra blankets."

"No, I cannot allow you to do that."

"Well I'm not letting my guest sleep on the floor. So your choices are either A- you sleep on the futon, or B- you sleep on the futon. Understand?"

He sat down beside you on the futon, letting out a small sigh.

"I am unworthy of such gracious treatment."

"No, you're not. Really, I'm just glad I'm getting to see you after all these years."

His lips turned up into a genuine smile.

"As am I."

The two of you engaged in conversation, discussing experiences that had occurred in each other's absence. Enjoying one another's company immensely, the time seemed to fly by. At some point, without even remembering to turn out the lights, you both must have succumbed to your fatigue.


	3. Chapter 3

For some reason, your futon seemed unusually warm and comforting that morning. A sliver of sunlight slipped its way past the curtains and shone directly onto the spot in which you slept. You stirred and opened your heavy eyes, letting out a small yawn as you did. You continued to lay still for a moment, allowing your vision to adjust to the light. You rolled over onto your side, suddenly coming face to face with Kuroh, who was still fast asleep. It was then that you realized his arm was loosely draped across your body. Your face reddened, and you hastily scooted away from him, removing yourself completely from the futon. Your sudden movements must have been enough to wake the man who rested beside you, as he looked up at you with a concerned expression.

"What is it?" he asked, his voice a bit raspy.

"I- We- Uh," You found yourself flustered. "We must have fallen asleep...together."

"Did we?" He sat up, rubbing the back of his neck. You could see the pink tint spreading across his cheeks.

You sat there on the floor, unable to form an appropriate response. You could still feel the sensation of his skin against your own, and you turned an even darker shade of red at the very thought. Kuroh, in an attempt to ease the uncomfortable situation, finally spoke up.

"Do you, um...have to work today?"

"Unfortunately, yes." You stood to your feet, shaking off the uneasiness of the moment. "But you're welcome to stay here while I'm gone." You approached the closet and skimmed through the clothes that hung within, finally choosing an outfit. "Make yourself as comfortable as possible, okay?"

You went into the bathroom to change clothes and wash off your face. As you did so, you could hear the rustling sounds of Kuroh folding up your futon and placing it in its original spot. You thought about what a gentleman he had grown up to be, and how you would not mind if he were to stay around a while. You exited the bathroom and picked your purse up off of a nearby spot on the floor, then pulled out some money and handed it to Kuroh.

"Here, this is for when you get hungry. There's nothing to eat here except instant noodles."

"I cannot accept this." He attempted to give it back to you. "Noodles will be sufficient enough for a mere beggar such as myself."

"Kuroh," you started, pushing his hands away. "Just let me help you. This is the most useful I've felt in a long time."

He held the money close as he dropped to his knees, bowing to you.

"No, no, no. Not this again." You knelt down so that you were face to face with him and rested your hand on his shoulder. "We're friends, right? This is the kind of thing that friends do for each other. You don't have to be so humble about it, okay?"

"Thank you, _." He looked directly into your eyes, and you felt your face warm up a bit. "I will find a way to repay my debt to you."

"Look, I've missed you all these years. You were my best friend... Just having you here with me is payment enough." Getting lost in the moment, you lightly ran the back of your hand along his jawline. His pale eyes widened a bit at the contact. "I- I'm sorry! I should be going now!" You picked yourself up off of the floor and ran to the door, and with a quick "goodbye," you were gone.

The work day, being incredibly uneventful, seemed to drag on for what seemed like forever. Business was slow, meaning less tasks for you to busy yourself with. With the shop empty of customers at the end of the day, your uncle allowed you to sit at the counter. He tidied up the area, glancing up now and then to make small talk. At one point, you found your thoughts wandering, and he must have noticed the blank look in your eyes.

"What's on your mind?"

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing."

"Is it a boy?"

"W- What? No way."

"I'll bet it's that boy from yesterday."

You sat in silence, trying to ignore him, but you couldn't hide the redness that spread across your cheeks.

"Mhm," he chuckled. "I knew it. Hey, it's nothing to be ashamed of. He's a nice-looking boy."

You continued to ignore him.

"But you'd better be careful. I know how dirty-minded boys can be. I remember when I was that age. I was quite the lady killer, you know." He continued rambling, elaborating on his younger years. You eventually decided you had heard enough.

"I'm going home," you said, hopping down from your chair.

"Alright, have a good evening. And remember," He picked up a nearby knife and pointed it in your direction. "If he tries to pull anything funny, you send him to me."

You nodded and waved goodbye before leaving the building, eventually finding yourself back at your apartment. You unlocked the door and stepped inside.

"I'm home!" You stopped in your tracks, unable to recognize your own apartment. The clutter that once was spread all throughout the space was now nowhere in sight. The cobwebs were gone, and everything in the room seemed to shine. Kuroh stepped out of the kitchen, clad in a pink apron.

"I hope you don't mind that I tidied up a bit."

"No- Not at all. This is...wow."

"I also took it upon myself to prepare dinner."

You followed him into the kitchen area, where a feast was spread across the table.

"You did all of this?"

"I used the money I was given to buy the ingredients. I hope you don't mind."

You seated yourself at the table, and Kuroh sat directly across from you. You both exclaimed "itadakimasu" before digging in. The flavor tantalized your taste buds in such a way that you felt you had taken a bite directly out of Heaven. It was quite the treat, considering you had been surviving on junk food from the nearby convenience store.

"Kuroh, this is amazing! I didn't know you could cook like this!"

"I am glad it meets your approval." He smiled at you and you returned the gesture, your cheeks full.

The two of you finished your meal and cleaned up before heading back into the main room. After bathing, you spent the rest of the evening watching television together, and this time made sure to keep a distance between yourselves as you settled down to sleep that night.


End file.
